No one should ever have to worry about whether or not their loved one is safe in a nursing home. We must be able to trust the employees of nursing home facilities. Unfortunately, there are times when various types of abuse are occurring in the nursing home setting. Family members do what they can to prevent this type of abuse, and many people wonder whether or not they are allowed to put cameras in their loved one’s nursing homerooms. Here, the Seattle nursing home abuse attorneys at Russell & Hill, PLLC want to discuss the legalities of this topic.
Most common types of nursing home abuse
According to data available from the National Council on Aging, around one out of every 10 people over the age of 60 people experience some form of elder abuse each year. Unfortunately, there are times when this abuse occurs within the nursing home setting. Some of the most common types of abuses that our attorneys help clients with include:
- Physical abuse
- Sexual abuse
- Emotional and psychological abuse
- Neglect of basic necessities
- Financial abuse
It can be difficult for family members to prove that their loved ones have been abused by nursing home staff members or volunteers. Many families wonder whether or not they are allowed to use video cameras inside their loved one’s nursing homeroom.
According to Washington House Bill 2173, “Long-term care facilities must permit a resident to install electronic monitoring and provide reasonable physical accommodation to facilitate the installation and use of the electronic monitoring device. Facilities must inform new residents and current residents of their right to conduct electronic monitoring.”
This law makes it clear that family members are allowed to install a video camera at their loved one’s nursing home. However, this can only be done so under the following conditions:
- You give the facility written notice of your plans to install the camera
- You pay for the equipment, installation, and maintenance of monitoring the camera
- You have written consent from your loved one’s roommate (if they have one) for the surveillance. Any roommates may deny this request or have certain stipulations, such as not monitoring their side of the bedroom.
The law in Washington also prohibits nursing home facilities from discriminating or retaliating against residents who wish to install video cameras in their rooms.
Video footage from these cameras is admissible in any type of court proceeding, including civil, criminal, or administrative hearings related to any nursing home abuse allegations.
Let us help you through this
If you suspect that your loved one has been abused inside of a Seattle nursing home, speak to an attorney as soon as possible. At Russell & Hill, PLLC, we are ready to help you get through this. Our team will investigate what happened and work to secure any compensation you and your loved one may be entitled to. This can include:
- Coverage of any medical expenses related to the abuse
- Pain and suffering damages
- Loss of personal enjoyment images
- Compensation to relocate to a new facility
- Complete payment of the cost to stay at the nursing home
- Possible punitive damages in cases of gross negligence
When you need a Seattle nursing home abuse attorney, you can contact us for a free consultation of your case by clicking here or calling 1-800-529-0842.